Film The Best Intelligent Documentaries of All Time

List Rules Vote up the best intelligent movies, or those that are smart, clever, etc.

Intelligent documentaries really aren't hard to come by, as most of them set out to inform in some way or another. Nevertheless, some of the best documentaries are simply "smarter" than others. In other words, there's an extensive list of informative documentaries out there to ultimately make you smarter and, in some cases, even more aware of the world around you. Whether they set out to change the way people think or simply explain a significant event or issue in depth, these intelligent documentaries should not be missed. So, next time you're feeling out of the loop or want to expand your mind, check out one these potentially life-changing documentaries.

A perfect example of such docs is the ever-eye-opening Food, Inc. Created to show the world the truth behind many of the foods we eat on a daily basis, anyone who's watched it has surely considered changing the way they eat, as well as how they view their food. The Oscar-nominated 13th also fits in here, as it takes a close look at the ongoing racial inequality in America. In short, many of these smart documentaries are just as important as they are intelligent.

If you're feeling in the mood for an educational flick, check out some of the best intelligent documentaries to date below. You can also help rank them by voting up your favorites, as well as voting any down you feel aren't as great as the next.

list ordered by

1

6 0

The Act of KillingJoshua Oppenheimer, Christine Cynn The Act of Killing is a 2012 documentary film directed by Joshua Oppenheimer, Anonymous and Christine Cynn.

2

7 1

Food, Inc.Robert Kenner How much do we know about the food we buy at our local supermarkets and serve to our families? Though our food appears the same as ever — a tomato still looks like a tomato — it has been ...more

3

5 0

BlackfishGabriela Cowperthwaite Blackfish is a 2013 Documentary film written by Eli B. Despres and directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite.

4

6 1

13thAva DuVernay 13th is a 2016 American documentary by director Ava DuVernay. An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.

6

3 0

The CoveLouie Psihoyos The Cove is a 2009 documentary film that analyzes and questions dolphin hunting practices in Japan. It was awarded the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2010. The film is a call to ...more

7

5 3

Cocaine CowboysBilly Cohen Cocaine Cowboys is a 2006 documentary film directed by Billy Corben and produced by Alfred Spellman and Billy Corben through their Miami-based media studio Rakontur. The film explores the rise ...more

8

5 3

We Were HereDavid Weissman, Bill Weber We Were Here is a 2011 documentary film about the AIDS crisis in San Francisco. The film, produced and directed by David Weissman with editor/ co-director and Bill Weber, premiered at the ...more

9

5 3

10

3 1

The Century of the SelfAdam Curtis The Century of the Self is a 2002 British television documentary series by Adam Curtis. It focuses on how the work of Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud, and Edward Bernays influenced the way ...more

11

3 1

Super Size MeMorgan Spurlock, Mira King Supersize She is a 2005 television documentary focused on British professional female bodybuilder Joanna Thomas. The title was a take-off on the success of the film Super Size Me. The one-hour ...more

13

2 0

SickoMichael Moore Sicko is a 2007 documentary film by American filmmaker Michael Moore. The film investigates health care in the United States, focusing on its health insurance and the pharmaceutical industry. ...more

14

2 0

Matt Shepard Is a Friend of MineMichele Josue Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine is a 2012 documentary historical fiction and biographical film written and directed by Michele Josue.

15

2 0

Jesus CampRachel Grady, Heidi Ewing Jesus Camp is a 2006 American documentary film directed by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing about a charismatic Christian summer camp, where children spend their summers being taught that they have ...more

16

4 3

HyperNormalisationAdam Curtis HyperNormalisation is a 2016 BBC documentary by British filmmaker Adam Curtis. In the film, Curtis argues that since the 1970s, governments, financiers, and technological utopians have given up ...more

17

4 3

Hell and Back AgainDanfung Dennis Hell and Back Again is a 2010 documentary film directed by Danfung Dennis. "In 2009, U.S. Marines launched a major helicopter assault on a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan. ...more

18

1 0

What Happened, Miss Simone?Liz Garbus What Happened, Miss Simone? is a 2015 biographical documentary film directed by Liz Garbus. Exploring the life of Nina Simone, the documentary combines previously unreleased archival footage and ...more

19

1 0

Capturing the FriedmansAndrew Jarecki Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS was the most riveting, provocative, and hotly debated film of the year. Despite their predilection for ...more

20

3 3

Killing Them SafelyNick Berardini

21

2 2

Last Days in VietnamRory Kennedy Last Days in Vietnam is a historic war documentary written by Mark Bailey and Keven McAlester and directed by Rory Kennedy.

22

1 1

Inside JobCharles Ferguson The creators of ``Undercover Boss'' are behind this unscripted TNT series, which gives the popular CEO-in-disguise premise a bit of a twist. ``Inside Job'' puts candidates for six-figure ...more

23

1 1

Steve Jobs: The Man in the MachineAlex Gibney

24

1 1

Ai Weiwei: Never SorryAlison Klayman Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is a 2012 documentary film about Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, directed by American filmmaker Alison Klayman. Director Klayman received a special jury prize at ...more

25

1 1

May I Be FrankGregg Marks May I Be Frank is a documentary biographical comedy film directed by Gregg Marks.

26

1 1

(Dis)Honesty: The Truth About LiesYael Melamede

27

0 1

28

0 1

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the RoomAlex Gibney Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a 2005 documentary film based on the best-selling 2003 book of the same name by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, a study of one of the ...more

29

0 1

Chasing IceJeff Orlowski Chasing Ice is a 2012 documentary film about the efforts of nature photographer James Balog and his Extreme Ice Survey to publicize the effects of climate change, directed by Jeff Orlowski. It ...more